To win the job in November, he has to do what a handful of well-suited Democratic candidates failed to do in the March primary: Get past former Common Pleas Judge Timothy McGinty.

Wade has little chance.

First, he lacked the ties to either party to run successfully in the primary, so he's cast himself as an independent candidate for the general election. But without formal backing of a major party, he lacks the political muscle to raise money, rally voters and cover the polls.

I believe an independent candidate could someday win in Cuyahoga County, which is full of unaffiliated voters. But Wade is not that candidate.

A former Cleveland city prosecutor, he is a likable and recognizable defense attorney in legal circles but he remains largely unknown to voters. He earned some attention last year and good ratings from several lawyer groups when he unsuccessfully challenged Cleveland Municipal Judge Angela Stokes.

Wade, who has voted in some past Republican primaries but cast a nonpartisan ballot in March, is hoping the county Republican Party will embrace him.

Several well-known Republicans signed Wade's filing petition. County GOP chairman Rob Frost says the party will evaluate Wade's candidacy for a possible endorsement.

It won't be worth much.

The county GOP, which is full of strong attorneys, has already passed on this race, having failed to convince a Republican candidate that he or she could win in a job that's been passed around the Democratic Party for decades.

The GOP's absence from this race is particularly striking given the fact that the incumbent, Democrat Bill Mason, decided not to seek another term and that a long-standing corruption investigation has tainted the office. These points would have given Republicans a slightly better shot.

PD file Tim McGinty

"It's absolutely true that Tim McGinty, part of the old Democratic machine here, needs a challenger," Frost says.

I believe all candidates do. The contested Democratic primary elevated the debate and forced McGinty to look beyond his political advantages and name recognition.

Wade insists he is an independent voice and a serious candidate, who is also seeking the endorsement of the Demcratic Party. (He will not get it.) He says he is capable of challenging McGinty's record as a former assistant county prosecutor and as a judge.

Wade, who is black, also says he believes his candidacy is important because the prosecutor's office needs more diversity. He said diversity will make the office more effective and sensitive in some cases, including those involving discrimination.

"Minorities sometimes have unique circumstances that trigger some problems that others may not be aware of," he says.

I believe Wade can hold his own in a debate about legal issues.

But he'll have some explaining to do about personal financial issues.

Wade has faced several state and federal liens for unpaid taxes, including a nearly $113,000 lien filed in 2007, public records show. Wade has also fended off several times foreclosure action on his Cleveland home that was triggered by unpaid property taxes.

He's has worked out payment plans with IRS and the liens have been lifted. He has also settled his property tax issues.

He said the trouble is related to ups and downs of his private law practice.

"Sometimes I just didn't have the money to pay the taxes," he says. "Some months you will make money and sometimes you won't."

But tax issues are hard to ignore because they highlight the obvious questions: If you have trouble managing your own affairs, how can manage a budget worth tens of millions of tax dollars?

Wade says he can do this easily because he will have a predictable budget and stay within it.

"I'm not a perfect person but I will work hard," he says.

I don't doubt that. But Wade faces too many hurdles to have a chance to prove it.

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